Monday, February 27, 2023 will be a date forever etched in Bendigo's history.
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It was the day US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy - daughter of American president John F Kennedy - visited the regional city.
Ms Kennedy was here to to acknowledge the life and contributions of African-American John Joseph who, during the Eureka Stockade Rebellion in the 1850s, was arrested for protesting government licensing fees.
He was tried for high treason in Melbourne, and acquitted by a jury. The result saw him emerge a hero and carried shoulder high through the 10,000-strong crowd cheering outside the courtroom.
He died in 1858 and lies in an unmarked grave in White Hills Cemetery, Bendigo.
Monday's ceremony was an opportunity to acknowledge his life and contribution to Australian and American history as part of the United States' commitment to racial equity and recognising historical injustice.
Ms Kennedy's presence at the ceremony gave Bendigo an immediate connection to one of the most famous family's in the world. Her presence was enough for the New York Times to take an interest in the John Joseph story by sending its own reporter to Bendigo to cover the event.
Ms Kennedy's father was at the forefront of a changing world when he took office in 1961. His tenure at the White House was at the height of the Cold War. He dealt with the Cuban Missile Crisis, supported the Civil Rights Movement and boldly predicted man would walk on the Moon by the end of the decade.
Who knows what he could have achieved had he not been cruelly assassinated in November 1963.
Ms Kennedy carries her family's legacy with grace and has an air about her that commands attention, even before she speaks. It's an opportunity few in the world are privilege to experience, but young Bendigo Advertiser journalist Alex Gretgrix is one of the lucky few.
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Alex attended Monday's ceremony at White Hills Cemetery and recounts what being in the presence of Ms Kennedy meant to her:
"Back when I started as a journalist, if someone had told me I would be meeting a famous Kennedy in the middle of a Bendigo cemetery, I wouldn't have believed you.
"But on Monday, that's exactly what happened.
"As a way of honouring the forgotten historic link between Australia and the United States, US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy made the trek to central Victoria.
"She had made the journey to unveil a plaque dedicated to John Joseph, a name I had only heard a handful of times around the office.
"While I didn't know his story, hearing the passionate words of filmmaker Santilla Chingaipe took me back to the rebellion itself and made me feel like I knew John myself.
"And then, Ms Kennedy walked through the cemetery where the ceremony took place, and it was almost as if the crowd couldn't believe she was really here.
"I was there to film each moment, but it was hard not to look over my iPhone and really take in the scenes in front of me.
"After the official part was over, it was a mad rush to get through the swarm of people to get our stories.
"While not a single word was spoken between us, just being in the presence of someone who had lived such a publicly tragic life was enough to give me goosebumps.
"To know this woman had lost so many people she loved, but was still able to get up each morning and help advocate for those that need it, made those moments all the more unbelievable."
It's a sentiment that sums up Ms Kennedy, who implored for change while speaking about John Joseph and the ongoing pursuit of social justice:
"His story is one for our time too as we face this history. We can ask ourselves who is missing from today's narrative and what is our responsibility to make sure that they are included. We can be inspired by the courage of the miners and renew our commitment to justice for those who have been left out and left behind. We can take heart from the recognition that great progress has occurred while recognizing that there is much more to do. We can hold our governments accountable to their democratic promises and we can hold ourselves accountable for creating a more just and honest world."
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